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| PIO wants RTI applicant to pay Rs 20,000 as honorarium for compiling reply | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 9: In an interesting case related to discouraging an RTI applicant , an Executive Engineer (XEn) of Power Department Jammu who happens to be the PIO under RTI Act as well has advised his Chief Engineer (First Appellate Authority) to direct an information seeker to pay Rs 20,000 (twenty thousand) to a retired accounts official so that he is engaged to process the RTI application of the applicant. The XEn in his letter to Chief Engineer (FAA) has said that there is no post of Accounts Assistant available in his office and that is the reason RTI applicant be asked to pay honorarium to a hired accountant.
Details available with Early Times reveal that one Sunil Verma a resident of Trikuta Nagar Jammu filed second appeal on 08.03.2016 before State Information Commission (SIC). The appellant submitted before SIC that he filed RTI application before PIO/Executive Engineer, PDD Central Workshop Division, Narwal near RTO Office, Jammu dated: 28.12.2015, seeking information on 15 points about PDD Central Workshop. Verma filed first appeal before FAA/Chief Engineer, PDD, M&RE Wing, Canal Power House, Jammu on 29.01.2016.
The Chief Engineer vide office letter dated: 03.02.2016, directed Superintending Engineer EM&RE Circle-Ist, Jammu to provide information as per the information sought vide said RTI application. The SE, EM&RE Circle-Ist., Jammu vide communication dated: 23.02.2016 has provided information which is according to information seeker was incomplete. Feeling aggrieved of the non-action of the PIO as well as FAA (Chief Engineer EM&RE) who had not provided requisite information, the information seeker knocked the doors of the State Information Commission (SIC) for the redressal of his grievances. The information seeker Sunil Verma prayed before SIC that PIO/FAA to be dealt in accordance with provisions of RTI Act, 2009.
The PIO (XEn) requested FAA (Chief Engineer) for engaging a retired official for sorting out/furnishing the records, as the post of Account Assistant is not sanctioned. PIO (Xen) also requested FAA (Chief Engineer) to direct the appellant to deposit an amount of Rs.20, 000/- as honorarium for engagement of Account Assistant.
Taking cognizance of the appeal, the sic in their order ruled, "As per documents enclosed with the appeal,the Commission have perused the information sought at Point- 6,11,12,13 and 14 and is of the considered view that information sought are not specific as provided under Section 6(1)(b) of the RTI Act, 2009.
Further, compilation in information for a period of around seven years shall disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority as per the provisions of Section 7(9) of the Act. In view of above, Commission directs the PIO/Executive Engineer, Elect. Workshop Div., Jammu to allow appellant for inspection of relevant records in respect of these points for last two years within two weeks and allow him to take relevant extracts. Compliance report in this regard be filed within two weeks". |
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